Sec. 5. International religious freedom
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Congress finds the following: The promotion and protection of the universally recognized right to the freedom of religion is a priority of United States foreign policy as stated in section 402 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6442 ) and the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 (title I of Public Law 114–26 ; 19 U.S.C. 4201 et seq.) which requires the Administration to take religious freedom into account when negotiating trade agreements.
Countries that protect religious freedom are more prosperous, stable, peaceful and democratic. Thus, the severe restrictions faced by religious groups in Vietnam, such as members of the United Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV), Catholics, and independent Hoa Hao Buddhists, Cao Dai, and Protestants groups, are detrimental to the interests of both the United States and Vietnam. Since 2016, the Government of Vietnam has reportedly stepped up its efforts to force Montagnard and Hmong Christians to renounce their faith, expropriate lands and other real properties belonging to independent religious communities, destroy Hoa Hao Buddhist and Cao Dai houses of worship, and arrest and detain religious leaders.
Religious leaders and advocates of religious freedom remain in prison. Since the protection of religious freedom is vital to peace, stability, and prosperity, and countries with the highest levels of restrictions on religious freedom are often those countries seeking to undermine United States national interests, it is the policy of the United States to— prioritize religious freedom in bilateral relations, including with the Government of Vietnam, by fully implementing the provisions of the Frank R.
Wolf International Religious Freedom Act ( Public Law 114–281 ); and strategically employ sanctions and other tools under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6401 et seq.). It is the sense of Congress that— Vietnam should be designated as a country of particular concern for religious freedom under section 402(b) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6442(b) ) because there are a significant number of individuals imprisoned for their religious activity or advocacy for religious freedom and for systematic, egregious, and ongoing violations of religious freedom; the President, in making the annual designations under section 402(b) of such Act, should take into account the annual report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom under section 203 of such Act and the Commission’s assessment that the designation of Vietnam as a country of particular concern for religious freedom from 2004 to 2006 led to tangible improvements in religious freedom conditions while trade and security cooperation increased; and because the Government of Vietnam tightly controls religious institutions and then persecutes those individuals who establish or operate independent religious institutions and genuinely nongovernmental organizations, the Secretary of State should— use all available diplomatic, development, economic assistance, and political tools to ensure that independent religious and civil society organizations can operate freely and without restriction in Vietnam; and raise these issues in all appropriate statements, dialogues, reports, and negotiations between the United States and Vietnam and in multi-lateral institutions where the United States and Vietnam are members.
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Sec. 5
International religious freedom
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